The Hidden One
by Kensington Blue
Summary: Bellatrix's exploits after her escape from Azkaban. She's got a new partner in crime. This is my first FF on here so please R&R, no flamers. Rated M for chapters 10 and 19. Character deaths in chapters 24 and 28.
1. Chapter 1

I wasn't into children; I felt honestly that it was never in me to have them. When he told me my assignment was to train this little witch I felt surly that he had chosen the wrong person for the job. I approached the walk with a frown; the wards around the house were set in place by my master himself to insure her safety. A house elf opened the door; I cast my cloak aside as the elf led me into the parlor. On the floor, surrounded by little wooden animals, my tiny charge sat.

"Hello little one." I said as I approached her, I was not about to sit on the floor so I drew up a chair and looked down at her.

She looked up at me with huge black eyes, a serious look on her face. "The animals don't move." She said in a stubborn voice as she shoved one of them to the side and stood up. "The animals at the zoo move."

She drew closer to me and I sat back, "I'm five." She said holding up her five pudgy little fingers.

"How lovely. I'm Bellatrix." I said with disdain; I didn't want the little fingers, which were no doubt sticky, to touch my robes.

The small creature blinked up at me, those eyes staring into mine fearlessly; "My name is Emma." She retorted, as if I should have known that five was her age and not her name.

"Oh I see." I replied, "Well Emma, shall we start your lessons?"

She tilted her head and looked at me, "No." She replied and moved away back to her animals.

"No?" I said as my eyebrow rose; this thing, this creature had said no to me…I wasn't entirely sure how to take that. "Now see here poppet, I am here to teach you. My Master commands it."

In that moment her face lifted once again to mine, her eyes were wide, "The Dark Lord." She said in awe.

Try as I might I could not keep the look of surprise off my face that she knew of my Master. "Yes poppet, the Dark Lord." I said as a whole new appreciation for the small child in front of me started to take over my heart.

"Do a trick for me?" The little girl said as she held up a small carving of a dog. "Make it move around like at the zoo." She said bouncing up onto her knees. I graced her with a smile and pulled out my wand, giving the small figure a tap on the head it came to life in her hand. Squeals of delight rang from the little girl as she hugged it close.

"Teach me how to do that." She said holding up a tiger for me to tap like her dog. I smiled at her and tapped the tiger.

"I will teach you all the secrets of the universe poppet." I said as I watched her face light up at the sight of the dog and the tiger circling each other slowly. Despite my misgivings about getting on the floor I did so anyway. The child's laughter was infectious and in spite of myself I was feeling myself instantly drawn to her.

"You do one." I said holding out my wand to her. She took it carefully and tapped the little bear; sparks came out of the wand but nothing else.

"Don't fret." I said as I saw the look of disappointment on her face. "You need your own wand. I'll help you this time." I closed my hand over her small one; surprisingly her fingers were not sticky as I had previously thought.

"Alright now, think about wanting the bear to come to life and then tap him. Think really hard." I said as I moved the wand to tap the tiny wood carving. At once I knew she felt the magic flow over my hand to hers and then the wand because she gasped.

"See how easy magic is." I said as I moved the wand away from her. She was hooked, her eyes looking from the wand to the animals.

"Can I have one of those?" She said as her fingers reached out slowly to touch the wand. I nodded at her, "Well we will have to ask our Master and see what he says." This won her over completely I could tell, I was curious about how she knew my Master and how she was fearless when I spoke about him.

Several hours passed before it was time for me to leave, the little creature was exhausted, and her eyes could hardly remain open as I tapped the animals with her hand underneath mine to return them to their natural state. "I will return tomorrow Emma." I said as a house elf retrieved my cloak.

Emma was asleep on the floor before I reached the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

I arrived at the Riddle House at half past midnight; the mark on my arm was still burning from the call of my lord. It always sent a shiver down my spine when it burned, the delicious sight of it turning black against my flesh and making it feel as raw as it had been the night I had received it.

"You have news for me Bella?" the smooth voice of my Master came out of the darkness.

"Yes my lord, I have seen the child. She is…remarkable." I said in as I leaned forward bowing myself to the ground at my Masters feet.

"She is." He said in agreement as he leaned back and waved his hand for me to regain a standing position.

"I worked with her until she nearly fell over from exhaustion and still she hungers for more." I said with pride.

Voldemort smiled, his sharp teeth angled in a terrible hunger. "The wards held then to keep those pestering Magical Law Enforcement fools away while she performed?" He asked still sneering; it was obvious the wards had held I was standing there wasn't I?

"Yes my lord, they held most perfectly. She has requested a wand." I added quickly.

"I will have Ollivander deliver a selection."

"Are there not wards, around the shop?" I said before I could stop myself, my Master's eyes flashed scarlet at me as I said this.

"She must not be seen Bella, you fool." He spat the words out of his mouth like venom. "If that muggle loving fool Dumbledore were to see her when he assumes she is dead…Think Bella." He added with a frown.

I was instantly on the ground before him, I did not seek his wrath I was merely uninformed about the identity of the child.

"Master, I am sorry." I said to the floor, my body bracing for whatever curse my lord felt I deserved as punishment.

"Stand up Bella; I have no use for your blubbering apologies."

I immediately stifled my cries and stood, it seemed for the moment my Master had finished with me as he waved me to the side for McNair to present his latest findings on the movements of the Potters.

I arrived at Emma's house at eight o'clock the next morning, again a house elf greeted me, took my cloak and Emma was in the parlor playing with her animals.

"Hello poppet." I said as I came in and sat in the previous day's chair.

"They don't move anymore. Make them move." Emma demanded as she held out the carved animals.

"Oh goodness." I said as I pulled out my wand. "I thought you wanted a wand of your own." I said before producing another wand from my pocket. Emma's eyes were wide in surprise.

"Oooo Bellatrix, you brought me a wand. Is it for me? Can I use it?" She said holding out her hand and taking the dark piece of wood.

"Well we have to see if that is the wand for you, I have a few others if that one does not suit you." I needn't worry, Ollivander seemed to have chosen well as the moment Emma waved it green and silver sparks shot out of the end.

"Well there it is a wand just for you." I said with a smile, I was thankful that the first one had worked; having to bring in wand after wand with a five year old was not something even the most practiced child care giver would be able to stand for long.

Emma immediately headed over to her animals and tapped them hard but nothing happened. "IT DOESN'T WORK!" Emma wailed at an alarming level.

"Well of course not poppet, you're not telling the wand what you want it to do. Remember yesterday, you have to think really hard before you can make it work." I said; a silent prayer went up that she would not scream again. Emma turned again to the toys and tapped them, behind her back I waved my own wand to make them come to life. She turned her head and smiled at me in triumph.

"Do you want to be a witch like me Emma?" I asked her as she watched the little animals trip trapping around the floor. Emma nodded not looking up.

"You have to work very hard. Our lord wants you to work hard every day and then…" I said as I swept my wand over the toys and they disappeared, "and then you can play."

Emma looked as though she wanted to protest but she surprised me, she simply nodded again and blinked up at me with those eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

I went to see Emma every day for a minimum of four hours a day. She was growing strong, my Master wanted her to be able to cast without speaking the incantation, I will never understand why they insist on teaching the students at Hogwarts to speak it and then they turn around and insist on nonverbal. Emma had the focus she needed to make her wand perform the way she wanted. After just a few weeks Emma's wand seemed a mere extension of her arm, it was time to take her to see my Master.

I dressed her carefully, I curled her hair around my fingers and made sure her cloak was fastened tight.

"All right poppet, now, we're going to see the Dark Lord. You have to hold tight to my hand and don't speak until spoken to. Do you understand?" I said as I reached down to fix a stray curl. Emma nodded, her tiny hand fitting into mine.

I held her hand a little tighter then I would someone older who was along for apparition but I didn't want to chance anything. Stepping with her carefully out into the garden I decided to hold her instead. I lifted her up into my arms and covered her with my traveling cloak. She was hidden perfectly underneath it, a little lump under the blackness of the material. "Hold tight love." I whispered to the top of her head as I concentrated on the Riddle house and stepped forward. The loud crack that accompanied apparition made her jump slightly in my arms but she held tight.

We landed perfectly; I didn't even stagger with the added weight. I looked up at the house, with Emma still concealed under my cloak. "We're here poppet." I said, my arms still cradling her. The door opened ahead of me, it was Lucius. "You're nearly late Bella." He hissed as I moved carefully over the threshold.

"Being almost late means I have arrived on time." I said with a hiss, Emma moved against me at the sound of Lucius' voice. Lucius eyed the lump under my cloak and smirked, "So, you've brought her." I nodded and walked past; I could see the fair head of my sister ahead.

"Cissy." I said with a nod, I could see her profile and the smile that came with it. We journeyed down the stairs together into the darkness of the basement.

The basement was full of death eaters, my brothers and sisters, my true family. I sat quietly and unfastened my cloak. Emma did not raise her head to look around, for a moment I thought she had fallen asleep. I peered down at her carefully in the darkness and saw her looking up at me; I could feel her fingers tighten into my hair.

"Look around at our family poppet." I said gently against her ear. She lifted her head up and looked around, her thumb went into her mouth and I frowned. I had never seen her display any fear before. Would my Master judge her inadequate?

A shiver ran through the group, Emma felt it as well as she laid her head down against my chest again. I resisted the urge to cover her with my cloak again. The Dark Lord moved through the crowded room and sat, he surveyed each of us carefully. My Master had a way of making a loyal servant, such as myself, feel guilty when there had been no transgression.

"Bella." Came the high pitched voice as stillness filled the room. I stood, my arms still held Emma.

"Master." I said with a slight bow.

"You have the child." His voice softened as he flicked his wand to light the room further.

"She is here my lord." I said as I gently lowered her to the ground. Emma's thumb was still in her mouth, her face pressed into my robes.

"Bring her to me Bella." Voldemorts long fingers closed in front of him, his wand lay in his lap.

I walked forward, turning Emma quickly and urged her to walk on her own.

"Emma." He said as he leaned forward, his red eyes gazed over her face and stopped at

the thumb in her mouth.

Emma seemed to have forgotten to actually suck her thumb; she just held it in her mouth, her eyes wide as she actually took a step towards Voldemort. I took a step back as Emma moved closer to Voldemort.

"I am your lord and Master Emma." Voldemort said as he reached for her.

I thought that Emma was going to recoil but she surprised me. "I have a wand." Emma said as she walked to Voldemort and pulled out her wand at the same time. Emma held it out for Voldemort to see.

"It's beautiful Emma." Voldemort responded as he held out his own for her to see. "Can you show me what you have learned?" He asked as Emma crawled up into the chair next to his.

I wasn't sure what came over me, I didn't want her up there with him. I wanted her back in my arms where I knew she was safe. I focused my gaze onto Emma, my heart pounded out of my chest. My lord wanted her to perform magic for him; if she failed I would pay the price. Emma looked as if she were deciding on which spell to use, the entire room was silent with baited breath.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked after a moment.

"Surprise me." Voldemort said in a charming indulgent voice.

The death eaters in the room laughed a little as Emma grinned at all of them. Her fear was gone, she was the center of attention and she liked it. She got down off the chair and walked over to me, putting her hand in the pocket of my robes she pulled out two of her little animals. The tiger and the bear. She sat them in the center of the dark room and took a breath; I don't think I was breathing at this point. With a smart little tap against the tops of the animals' heads they began to enlarge. There was an audible gasp as she took another breath, tapped them again and they began to move.

Emma laughed as they circled her before she tapped them again and they froze, looking up from where she stood she smiled at me. I smiled back and then nodded my head at our lord. Voldemort was smiling in triumph. All the death eaters were now talking rather excitedly before Voldemort held up his hand for silence.

"Well done Emma. You have pleased your Master." He graced her with a smile, "Lord Voldemort always remembers those who have pleased him and served him well." Emma smiled up at him.

"I am your servant my lord." She said the phrase I had taught her, she even remembered the bow.

"You may return to your mistress." Voldemort said with a nod in my direction.

Emma left her animals frozen in the middle of the room and came back to me. She crawled back into my lap, her thumb in her mouth, and her head against my chest. "I am so proud of you." I whispered into her ear as she closed her eyes.

"Onto the next order of business then," said Lord Voldemort as I closed my cloak around her now to let the darkness surround her. It was half past midnight and from the moment Emma's eyes had closed she had not stirred.

The meeting moved onto the Potters, I always grew uneasy when the conversation went to them. My lord dwelled on it, my husband dwelled on it. My refuge from the obsession of the Potters was Emma. I could escape to her, train her and mold her into the darkest of witches. The last raid was uneventful; the Potters had escaped before my brethren had arrived. As the meeting wore on Emma woke with a start, I felt her squirming against me and then she began to cry.

"Shhh Emma don't cry." I whispered as I unfastened the cloak. I tried to quiet her before she caused a disturbance. McNair glared at me, I glared back.

"Quiet her Bella." My husband said under his breath, I could not leave the meeting and Emma's cries grew louder.

I patted her back and shushed her softly, I saw McNair's wand draw out and I had my own pulled out before he could cast a silencing spell on her. I shook my head at him and my lord saw me.

"Bella, take her upstairs." Voldemort said, I had expected a reprimand but it did not come, his voice was understanding.

I stood with her in my arms and went to the stairs.

"Why don't you nurse her while you're up there Bella." Came McNair's voice, I still had my wand out, I turned and cast Crucio on McNair before he could draw a breath.

"BELLA!" My husband said as I lifted the curse, McNair laid on the floor twitching, his face wet with sweat. His screams it seemed were echoing around the room until I realized it was Emma screaming not McNair.

She was staring at me in terror, her mouth wide and her face purple from screaming. I grabbed her up as she fought and kicked at me, her hands striking my face as hard as she could. It felt like trying to hold a wild animal as I struggled with her up the stairs. Once I had the door shut I sat her down, my hands still holding her tightly by the shoulders.

"Emma." I said in a very calm voice, "I need you to be quiet." I said, I wanted to slap her to make her shut up but I didn't want to hurt her. "Emma shut-up." I said in a forceful tone, her cries quieted.

Her tiny chest heaved as she stared at me, her face was tear stained. "You hurt me." She said tearfully.

I looked at her confused, "What?" I said unsure of what she meant.

"You hurt me, with your wand." She said trying to stifle another cry.

"I hurt McNair." I said to make her understand but she shook her head.

She held up her hand, there was a scorch mark on it. Her hand had been on mine when I cast the spell, it had hit her first and then McNair. I sank to my knees and wrapped my arms around her tiny body. The full force of the spell had not went through her entire body but the fact that her hand had been on mine made the force of the spell flow over her hand as I had cast the curse.

She hiccupped into my shoulder.

"Let me fix it." I said as I pulled out my wand again. "I didn't mean to hurt you poppet."

In that moment that she held her little burned hand out to me once more I loved her, I mean I really loved her. The trust in her eyes that I would not hurt her again was evident. I touched her hand lightly with the wand and the burn instantly faded.

"There, all better." I said as I brushed a kiss against it.

Emma looked down at her hand and then at me.

"You have magic kisses?" Emma said with her eyebrows raising up so high they disappeared into her bangs.

"Only for you." I said brushing another kiss to her hand before I lifted her back into my arms and walked up the stairs to the bedroom I used when I stayed in the Riddle house.

Emma was asleep on my bed before I could conjure up one for her. I knew Rudolphus would not allow her to sleep in our bed. I heard the meeting breaking up downstairs, the voices in the hallway grew loud and then faded as members disapparated. I conjured a bed to lay at the foot of my own, I wanted to be able to reach her in the night if she needed me. As I lifted her up and laid her down to cover her up Rudolphus appeared in the doorway. He watched me in silence as I brushed back her hair and pulled up the blankets around her. The house could get cold at night.

"Our lord is pleased with you." Rudolphus said with a smile. I returned it.

"Was he angry that she cried?" I said as I began to pull off my robes.

"No, he wants her needs met at all times. He even said he should have had you take her out of the meeting after she demonstrated her talent."

I nodded; I didn't tell him about Emma's hand. There was no need to, it was fixed.

Rudolphus walked over to me and ran his hand down my cheek and gazed into my eyes. His lips were warm against mine as he kissed me. I knew what he wanted but I couldn't, not with Emma in the room. I kissed him back but broke it off, I pulled him down into the bed and wrapped myself into his arms and closed my eyes. For a moment I let my mind wander to the tiny creature asleep in the room with us. What would our lives have been like if we had had children? I wasn't the mother type, Emma was a talented witch, a pupil, but she wasn't a daughter.


	4. Chapter 4

The night my lord fell burns in my mind still, Emma was ten, I remember her face screwed up in concentration as she practiced the Imperious curse. It was difficult but she was up to the task. She was a beautiful creature to behold full of the darkest magic. Our lord had taught her his own language; I regretted the hours that she spent with him. I wanted her to myself, she was mine. I was with her in fact, when our lord fell.

It was unusual that I was in her home at night but I knew that tonight was the night to protect her. The informant had given us information that was solid this time. I know because I had staked out the Potters residence myself the previous week. My lord was to go alone in the attack; he wanted to be the one to finish off the Potter brat. I had seen him, in the garden with Lily, his black hair was so much like my Emma's. He had none of my little dark witches talent, he did not even appear to be anything but a filthy mudblood. This boy was to bring down my lord? I chuckled to myself at I ran my hand over Emma's curls.

"Concentrate poppet, you have to want to control the rat. You want her to bend to you." I said as she moved her wand again.

Emma's curls stuck to her forehead, "Rest poppet, we'll try again tomorrow."

She let out a breath and finally sat her wand down. She turned her face and smiled at me before she picked it up again. I had to laugh, she knew me well. I did not like quitters and my little dark witch was not a quitter. With a deep breath and another flick of her wand she had it, the rat stood still.

"What do you want the rat to do?" I asked as my heart swelled with pride over her talents.

"Throw itself out the window; it's a nasty gutter rat." Emma replied.

"Then tell it to go to the window and jump." I replied as I sat back in the chair.

My eyes following the progress of the rat as it moved along the floor and then up to the window sill. She stopped it there, teetering on the edge. She was staring at it, her wand hand shaking a little, I rose from my chair.

"Do it poppet, that's what you want." I said, my hand rubbing down her back.

"It will die." Emma said, her wand still wavering.

"It will, but it's a gutter rat Emma."

Emma swallowed, "What if he has a family?"

"They are filthy gutter rats as well, we should kill them all." I responded; my fingers wrapped into her curls. "Your first time is always the hardest to kill another creature." I leaned my head down to whisper in her ear, "But the power to hold life and death in your hands, that's eternal."

Emma looked at me and then back at the rat, she nodded towards it and it leaped off the sill to its death.

"Well done poppet." I said hugging her tight and pressing my lips to her head.

Emma laid her wand down and pressed her face to my robes, such a little girlish thing to do. It was rare when she did this but sometimes I understood that she needed to. I sat down in the chair and guided her onto my lap; with her eyes closed she put her thumb into her mouth and buried her face into my chest until she was asleep.

The news came in the early morning hours; Emma was curled up in my arms asleep when I heard a loud crack downstairs in the parlor. I froze; no one should be able to enter into this house unless… I grabbed my wand from the nightstand, casting a quick disillusionment charm onto Emma while she still slept; keeping her safe was my first priority. I cast one on myself and stepped out onto the landing.

I could see the bottom edge of a black traveling cloak, the wearer was silent, and their wand was out. I stepped out further to go down the stairs, my feet leaving no sound that I was there. I knew it was Rudolphus from his hair; however I did not lower my wand.

"He is gone Bellatrix." He said without turning around, I froze.

"That little boy, the Potter's son...the Dark lord…he's vanished." His words came in broken sentences.

My heart was racing, my eyes traveled back up the stairs to where Emma lay fast asleep. They would come for her, they would kill her…if my lord was gone so was Emma's protection. I stepped around to face my husband, he was broken, and his face was contorted with sorrow.

"Don't say it." I commanded, "He is not dead. Curse you for saying that he is. He is beyond death Rudolphus, it cannot touch him." I spat out, I was angry at my husband showing weakness. How could he let his faith in our lord waver so very much that he thinks his master dead? I nearly spat in his face for that.


	5. Chapter 5

There were rumors of the Aurors abroad knowing my lords whereabouts. Knowing how we could find him and bring him back to power. The rumors, like little whispers of fire reached my ears. I looked down at my arm; the dark mark had all but faded away. Emma was sitting on the floor of the parlor with potion ingredients spread out before her, I looked down at her as the sleeve to her robe pushed up and I saw the mark.

"Emma?" I said leaning up and looking again. "What do you have on your arm?"

Emma blushed and pushed her sleeve down so I couldn't see.

"Come on, lets have a look. Have you hurt yourself?" I said holding out my hand to her. Like a sweet child she came to me, she always did what she was told. She blushed again and pulled the sleeve up; on her arm she had drawn a dark mark. She wouldn't look me in the eyes.

I held my own up against it, it was a good likeness. Emma had spent many nights trailing her finger along the dark mark on my arm as she fell asleep.

"How clever you are to draw that my love, when he returns to us he will mark you as his own."

Emma smiled up at me happily, she believed as I did that he would return. The rumors, when they came to us made her light up with excitement. She moved back to her potions, she was amazing to watch, her skill, the cold manner in which she cast curses. I loved it, I loved her, and she was beautifully powerful now. She was my dark angel, my hidden treasure. I longed to bring her with us when we tortured but she had to remain hidden and protected.

She had mastered two of the unforgivable curses, Imperious and Crucio. I had not introduced her to the killing curse yet. She was not ready, I put it off over and over again; I told myself it would happen soon but I knew then as I do now that I was delaying the moment that she used that curse. She enjoyed the Imperious curse, she loved to kill that way. Cats, dogs, I was convinced she had used it to force a homeless muggle to jump off a bridge once but she never confirmed it. She loved the power she had over life, it showed in her face in the moment she would tell the animal to die. Sometimes though, in the middle of the night she would come into my bed and curl her body up next to me and bury her face into my chest with her thumb in her mouth. We never talk about it, I don't mention it to anyone, and she was still a child after all.

I worried about what would happen to her if I were to die, who would care for her in the event that I did not return one night from gathering information to find my Master. There were family members to take her in, I was certain of that but would they continue to lead her on the path I had set for her. Would they continue her instruction the way I had, I doubted it.


	6. Chapter 6

We came back to the house laughing; we had tortured two Aurors until they broke. Emma had helped me; she had seen me tiring from casting Crucio. She was thirteen now and perfect; she walked over from where she was watching and placed her hand over mine with her wand and we cast it together at the Auror Alice Longbottom. We laughed as she screamed; my fingers had ran over Emma's dark curls, her eyes were glowing as we cast it over and over again. It was such a waste in the end that they did not give us the information that we needed but it was worth it to see my Emma take on two fully trained Aurors. She was a thing of beauty, dark spells coming out of her wand tip faster then the Aurors could block. She wanted to kill them; she had wanted to try the killing curse on them. She was still perfecting it, I told her to pace herself, that strong as she may be it would take a lot out of her to do it. After a few minutes of contemplation she heeded my words and left them laying there still screaming in terror.

I expected her to come into my bed, to lay her face against my chest and suck her thumb to fall asleep but she didn't. I left my husbands arms to go look for her; I found her sitting by her window staring out at the sky.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" I said as I pulled a blanket off a chair and brought it over to her and laid it over her shoulders. She didn't answer she just continued to stare off into space.

"Are you all right poppet?" I said when I sat down next to her. She shook her head.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm hurt." She said as she held out her hand for me, there were no marks on her flesh, nothing to indicate it was anything other than her hand completely whole. "It hurts."

I lifted her hand up to my mouth and pressed kisses against it, I kissed each finger in turn, and I then kissed her palm and her wrist. "Is that better?" I said before I brushed a stray curl from her forehead. She nodded.

"You have magic kisses." She whispered before she leaned over to lay her head against me.

"Only for you." I said as I stroked her hair, Emma's familiar fingers went to my left arm and traced the dark mark, her other hand went to her mouth so she could suck her thumb. She was really much too old to be doing that but I never told her, I never stopped her from doing it. I rocked her slowly back and forth as her eyes grew heavy; I pressed soft kisses into her hair and whispered incantations and their meanings as she drifted off safe in my arms. It was the last night I would hold her like this, I think I knew it deep down and that's why I stayed the whole night with her. She stirred only when she needed to find her thumb again.


	7. Chapter 7

The trial had been fast, justice was swift. The only thing I was thankful for was that Emma had not been implicated or for that matter discovered. I honestly think that the only good thing my worthless brother in law Lucius ever did for me was to see that Emma was safely placed with Rudulphus' family in the north of France. I had no doubt they would continue her education, my husband was a brilliant example of their child rearing. She knew she would go there; we had discussed it before the trial when I knew the Aurors were closing in on us. I had wanted to hold her one last time but there was no time, Lucius was there and he had to take her then or they would be found out. I pressed my lips to hers and vowed that I would come back for her, that she would be safe and I would not forget her. She promised to not give up hope of our lord's return. In an instant she was gone, swept from my life like a whirlwind.

I didn't want to even bother with a trial, my Emma; my dark angel was gone for who knew how long. The sentence, life imprisonment did not faze me, I knew my Master would return, he would free us and I would see Emma again.

Azkaban was a horror that I cannot even begin to describe. The screams echoed around me, they closed in on me until I could not breathe. In my mind I kept seeing Emma's burned hand when she was five, the time McNair slashed her when she was eight and I had performed Crucio on him until he was to the point of death. The night my Master vanished and the broken look on my husbands face when he told me and perhaps worse of all was when Lucius took Emma from my arms. All of these things played over and over again in my mind without ceasing. Several times I began to go off food but always when I did I would see Emma's face, feel her pressed against me while she slept and I would eat again. I was not sorry for the things I had done, the people I had killed and tortured for my Master. I was sorry to have lost Emma; I could have endured Azkaban for all eternity if only I could have had her at my side.

The years went by; I had stopped counting after five. Emma was a woman now, no longer a child to sit in my lap and learn all the secrets of the magical world. The night we escaped it was if I had been reborn. The cold air on my face as the dementors led us out onto the rocks and gave us back our wands. I knew that my Master was back, only he could have commanded our release from these foul creatures. My hair slapped at my face in the wind as it howled around us, the ocean spray hitting against our robes. As one we joined hands, my fellow death eaters and I and we left that island in the dead of night.


	8. Chapter 8

Hours went by; I was soaked to the bone from the water. I blacked out several times, Rudolphus, bless him, kept my head from sinking into the black depths of the ocean after our boat over turned. I was too weak to conjure anything or call the boat back. Finally, underneath my feet I felt the ground, my feet sunk into the sand as Rudolphus pulled me up.

"Come on Bella, just a little further." He said as his voice urged me on.

My chest felt like it was going to explode from the cold air hitting me, I was frozen, and I was going to die in the first few moments of freedom. My eyes tried to focus on the cliffs above us; I could still feel my husband holding me up. In front of us, out of nowhere he appeared. My Master, he was there looking down at all of us. His mouth twisted into a smile. I felt something warm drop into my hand and then a familiar jerk from behind my navel. I was being whisked away in a whirl of color. I was too weak to stand when I finally reached the destination; I staggered and then fell to the ground. I felt a hand brush over my face and big brown eyes looking down at me before my eyes closed and I felt my body fall into sweet darkness.

The next few days were a blur, I would open my eyes to see a darkened room and then close them again for hours of blissful sleep. A fire roared in the fireplace to keep me warm, Rudolphus was not in my bed though; he was recovering in another room. I would hear whispers as I slept; soft fingers moved against my skin and wiped my face with a cool rag when I was feverish. There came a day when I was able to sit up and stay awake longer than a few minutes.

I saw her sitting in the corner on a chair, her wand in her lap as she surveyed me carefully. I jumped slightly to see her sitting there; I thought I was alone in the room.

"Hello." The figure said in a soft voice from the corner. "I've been waiting for ages for you to wake up. Do you need anything? Are you hungry?"

"Emma." I whispered, my eyes stung with tears.

"Bellatrix." She replied as she stepped over to the bed, a soft smile formed on her lips.

I wanted to pull her into my arms at the same time I wanted to stare at the beautiful woman she had become.

"Oh Emma." I said again, my arms reached for her. She hesitated for a moment as she glanced back at the door.

She waved her wand to lock the door and then she moved to the bed, my arms closed around her to embrace her. The moment my arms closed around her the years faded and she was a little girl again tracing my mark and sucking her thumb. I pressed kisses to her head, to her cheeks and lips. I said her name over and over again as I did this. She was there in front of me and solid. She wasn't just a dream that haunted me and comforted me during my imprisonment.

"Let me look at you." I said leaning back to stare into her face; her eyes drank me in as I drank her in. She was more beautiful then I realized when I first looked at her. Those dark eyes of hers pulled me in and held me there.

"I look awful." I stated as I watched her eyes flickering around my face.

"No, no you don't. It's just Azkaban in your face." She said as she stroked absently at my dark mark. "That will soon fade." She said in a voice of assurance. "Right now though, you should eat." She said as she stood from the bed to retrieve a tray from the nightstand.

I wasn't hungry, I wanted to hold her and press her to my chest. I wanted to go back in time to watch her grow but I ate. The dry toast and tea was heaven.


	9. Chapter 9

I was strong; the months away from the Azkaban pushed it's horror from my face. I was alive again and eager to pick up where we left off. We had to stay low; the wizarding world was blissfully ignoring my Masters return from beyond death. Severus Snape was in our midst again, I did not trust him. He stared at Emma, undressed her with his eyes when they met. Thankfully she ignored this and appeared more annoyed with his looks than flattered.

In meetings she sat with me, her fingers were always moving to touch my arm, my back, I didn't mind this; she needed reassurance that I was back. Today she was idly tracing my mark again; she knew it well, her fingers moved over it without even looking.

McNair saw her do it and sneered, "Does Bella's little pet want a pretty mark too?"

Several of the Death Eaters around us looked around to see who dared to talk out of turn. It was like a row of dominos until everyone was looking around at us.

"Have I the wrong group of faithful servants?" Came the cold voice of my Master from where he sat. "That all should look away when I have spoken."

My own eyes were fixed upon his as was Emma's, the others, transfixed for a few seconds more brought their eyes back to my Master finally.

"Are you so secured in your positions for the coming attacks that you do not need to be told where to strike?" He said as he stood.

A shiver ran through the group that seemed to stop when it reached the two of us.

"Bellatrix, your charge is no longer a child that you must nurse at your breast to stay quiet."

"No my lord, nor does she disrespect her Master by speaking out of turn." I stared into my Masters eyes to let him see McNair talking in my mind. Voldemort got the message and smiled a cold cruel smile.

"McNair." He breathed softer than a whisper.

"M-Master. I-I meant no disrespect." He said as he shook all over. I saw Emma smile at this.

"Leave us McNair," hissed my Master, "you are not worthy to sit among us."

No one even dared breathe at this moment, to be told to leave a meeting, to be judged unworthy, there was no bigger disgrace.

"Return when you can give us your full attention and not worry about the child who suckled at Bellatrix breast."

I felt Emma tighten against me at these words. I did not take it as an insult like she did.

When the meeting ended she did not linger, she headed up the stairs to gather her things. She was embarrassed; I had never known her to be embarrassed other than when she had drawn a dark mark on her arm to look like mine.

"Are you going to stay?" I asked as I shut the door behind me.

"Why do you need to nurse me?" She spat out, her hands were shaking as started to fasten her cloak.

"Do not insult me Emma." I said as I sat on the edge of the bed. "Come home with me. Don't stay here any longer, you will be protected."

Emma bowed her head, "Our lord, will not let me leave the grounds to this house. He keeps me close to him."

"He means to protect you my dear one." I said as I helped her straighten her cloak.

"Then stay with me." Emma said quietly as her hands covered mine. "Stay with me like when I was a child. There is so much I do not know, that I need to learn before he will mark me."

I agreed to stay, to again have Emma as my pupil, however; gone were the days she would blindly follow me and do as I said. She was headstrong, calculating and evil; I fell in love with her all over again. We dueled everyday in the garden, even in the rain, my lord watched us from a window at times.

She was strong or perhaps I was still weak from Azkaban, I could not throw off her Imperious curse. We were fighting by the creek, that day, it ran through the back of the estate; she cast it before I could shield myself. I felt her words breeze through my mind, _Stop fighting Bella._ I lowered my wand at the same time I tried to keep it raised. I was tired though and her words felt so good whispering into my mind.

_Lay your wand down_ She pressed to me, my head was swimming as I tried to fight it again. _ Lay your wand down_ she pressed harder and I consented. When I laid the wand down I smiled, she was pleased; I could feel her pleasure in my mind. _Show me your mark_, I lifted my sleeve immediately and felt her hand against my flesh, her lips touched the skin where the mark was. I smiled at the softness of her kiss, it wasn't the kisses she usually gave me, and it lingered against my skin longer than it ever had. She looked up at me and brushed away some hair from my shoulder. Her hands were trembling as she did this. I felt her spell on me weakening and I pressed it to the advantage; pulling back I dove for my wand but she had a shield ready when I threw the Imperious curse back at her.

I laughed as she smiled at me from behind the shield, "So strong." I said with a smile as I lowered my wand an inch. "Truce for lunch?" I said hoping she would take it; there were times she would duel with me through to tea. "Truce." She said with a nod and lowered her own while her shield disappeared. I could still feel the kiss on my arm as we headed back up the hill to the house. Why did that kiss feel so different?


	10. Chapter 10

I had failed at the Ministry; my entire body was aching as I lay on the bed. My Master had punished me for my failures. The glory I felt at killing my cousin was short lived, perhaps it was Sirius' death that kept my Master from killing me that night when we returned. He could have left me that was for certain, to return to Azkaban. My husband, my poor devoted husband was not so lucky. He had been caught in the room with the veil unable to apparate to safety.

When we returned the fury of my lord left my bones splitting with fire. Emma had watched, from the seat next to my Master. She didn't want to; I saw her eyes looking away when she could. My Master had forced her watch, told her to remember what happens when you fail. A volley of spells hitting me, curse after curse he threw at my body until I felt my sanity slipping away. I did not scream; I kept my eyes locked onto Emma's face. I think if I had screamed it would have ended sooner but I didn't, I couldn't. I wanted Emma to see what true strength was.

When it was over and my lord left me lying, panting for breath on the stone floor of the dungeon, Emma came to me. She helped me stand and guided me up the stairs to my bedroom. I was alone; my husband was gone; for all I knew he had been kissed. My heart wanted to stop in my chest at the thought of his soul leaving his body. Emma laid me back on the bed carefully, her fingers working against the clasps of my cloak.

"It's all right Bellatrix." She said in a soft low voice. She spoke in whispers as if she knew anything more than that would be too much on me. "Oh bother." I heard her say as a light drew out of her wand and my robes disappeared. "There. Now you don't have to move." She said as she moved the blankets around my naked form.

"Stay." I whispered as I felt her cool hand brush over my forehead.

"I'll stay." She said quietly.

"My skin burns." I said in a ragged breath, the fire from my bones felt as if it were going to engulf the rest of my body.

"Shhh don't talk." She said, her hands were so nice and cold I moved towards them on instinct.

I heard her robes fall to the floor as she crawled into the bed next to me; she kept her movements as slight as possible.

"I burn." I tried to say again, my arms wrapping around her back as I tried to move my body as close to her as possible. Her skin was so cool to mine; it was like heaven to feel her skin on mine.

The sheets rustled between us as her arms went around me and she pressed her body to mine. I felt her lips touching my cheeks and my eyelids; I tilted my head up to catch her lips against mine. They were so nice and cold, I knew that if I had them against my mouth that my whole body would stop burning. She kissed me then, her lips lingered on mine. I wrapped my fingers into her dark curls, she began to draw back but I held her there. I brushed my tongue against her lips, I could breathe again. Emma's body shivered against mine as we broke off our kiss.

"Bella…" She started to protest as the fire in my skin started to fade away.

"Don't." I said with my hands still in her hair. "It's alright." I said to assure her.

For a moment she wouldn't meet my eyes, her cheeks were flushed with color. I trailed my finger down over her cheek. She met my eyes then, her eyes locking into mine as she moved closer and kissed me again. She didn't stop at my mouth, she kissed my face again and then my neck. She moved slowly against my skin, each kiss stilled my pain even more. My head was swimming, Emma was kissing me, and her hands were moving over my body as if they had always been there. She knew every inch of me, I was panting for breath when her mouth closed over mine.

We melted into one another; the years we had known one another bonded us to each other. Emma's mouth moved to my breast, her tongue brushed over my nipple as my back arched up to meet her lips. Part of my mind told me to stop, that she was the closest thing I had had to a child of my own but that was another lifetime. This was now and in this moment she was a beautiful woman whose soft lips was massing a passionate assault on my skin. I moaned at the kisses, half in pain and half in passion. I wanted her; I wanted to feel her press into my skin. I wanted to possess every inch of her.

I rolled her over, despite the lingering pain moving through my body. I pinned her hands with one of my own while my other slide slowly over her stomach. Her eyes were closed to my touches; a sigh escaped her lips as I lightly bite against her soft skin. There were no scars on her skin; it was smooth underneath my fingertips. I watched her nipples form into hard peaks as I teased and rolled them between my thumb and forefinger. I teased them until the tiny wrinkles that formed around them tightened against the pads of my fingers. Leaning over I ran my tongue against it, pushing into her nipple until it relaxed. I circled the area with my tongue and felt it grow into a hard peak again against my tongue. I couldn't deny myself this pleasure as I teased each of her nipples in turn over and over again until she whimpered in protest.

"Please…" She gasped; her lips were swollen from our kisses. I crawled up her body as I slipped my thigh between her legs.

"Please what poppet?" I whispered against her mouth before my tongue pushed roughly into hers cutting off her request. We wrestled in our kiss as I felt her hips rock up towards my thigh. She was wet; I could feel it on my thigh. I spread her legs further and settled myself between her legs. I thrust slowly allowing my clit to brush against hers; a delicious shiver ran through both our bodies as I thrust again. She groaned into the kiss and broke it off, her mouth found my ear and she whispered.

"I'm yours." She panted as her tongue brushed over my earlobe, I groaned into her neck as she said those words. She was mine, her body, her soul, all of it, everything that was her belonged to me. I moved back to her mouth and kissed her roughly, pressing into her body as I were a dementor who could take her into me simply by kissing her. It left her breathless as I did it again. She groaned under the pressure of my kisses but she returned them, my fingers laced into her hand as we kissed again. My mouth then trailed down her neck, I stopped for a moment at her breasts before moving further south. Her breath came faster, I bite the inside of her thighs, and her hips lifted off the bed. I looked up at her, her chest was heaving, her breasts rising and falling in the darkness of the room with each intake of breath. She was such a beautiful creature spread before me; her lips were slightly parted from the kiss I had just given her.

I wanted to hold the memory of her face in that moment forever, the moment before I took her as my own for good. I lowered my head, my tongue moved between her folds in a french kiss of sorts. My tongue moved slowly around her opening, her legs spread further to give my mouth more access. My nails dug into her thighs, moans left her lips as she rocked herself towards my mouth. Her tight little opening admitted my tongue as I thrust it in and out of her.

"Bella…" Her hips lifted off the bed again; the words that came after were lost in her moans as I suckled her clit. Her fingers dug into my back as I did this, my name came off her lips over and over again as I sucked harder. She rocked harder against my tongue, her juices flowed out into my mouth as her orgasm over came her. She was lost, grasping for my hair to hold onto as another wave of pleasure over came her. Cries of passion mixed with tears filled the darkness of our room. I lapped at her clit lazily as her body floated back down to the bed. My tongue found her opening to clean her of all the juices. She rocked forward with each lazy lap of my tongue until I felt her arms grip me to pull me up to her arms.

I snaked my way up her body, the pain from the torture earlier was gone. I pressed my lips to hers, her taste still in my mouth as her tongue dipped in. I brushed back her curls and felt her wet cheeks. She was crying.

"Don't cry poppet." I whispered, as she started to tremble. "Shhh." I pressed kisses on the top of her head and against her cheeks. Her tears came faster now, my arms wrapped around her frame and I held her, her breath was hot against my neck. I stroked her hair, whispered in her ear that it was all right until her shaking ceased. The tears stopped flowing and she was kissing my neck and then my lips. She was smiling now, her leg moved to lie over my hip and pull me close.

"Are you all right?" I whispered against her lips and she nodded. Her eyes were heavy with sleep. She snuggle down into the covers as she buried her face into my chest, I felt her lips close around my nipple, her tongue brushing it lightly. I smiled as I stroked her hair and rubbed her back, she drew my nipple against her teeth and lightly bit on it and then released it back into the fullness of her mouth. It felt like heaven to me, she could have done it for hours and I would have let her. Her hand rubbed between my legs, spreading my own juices as she sucked against my nipple. Her movements slowed after a while, her tongue circled around my nipple slower then it had been. Sleep was taking over her body as well as mine, I kissed the top o f her head again and closed my eyes to let sleep overcome me. Before I drifted off I heard her whisper against my skin "I'm yours." I smiled and fell asleep warm in her arms.

I woke up to the soft movements of Emma stirring in my arms, we were entangled in the covers, and her mouth was still resting against my breast. I felt her fingers trailing against my Dark Mark. I curled my fingers into her hair and shifted around to pull her closer. She broke away from my breast to look at me and I smiled down at her, I wasn't ready to wake up yet and neither was she. With a soft kiss I led her back to my breast and closed my eyes to fall back asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

We woke at dusk of the following day, the announcement of my lords return headlined in all the papers that laid at the foot of the bed. I saw my own face staring back at me; it was my mug shot from years before along with a summary of what I had done. Underneath that, my husband's newest photograph stared out at me, his eyes were hollow. He had been kissed according to the Prophet. Emma sat up and moved carefully behind me, I was sore again but nothing like it should have been. I couldn't take my eyes off Rudolphus, my fingers trailed over the moving picture and across his lips. They would never touch mine again, I opened the paper searching for pictures that showed my husband whole and full of magic but there were none. I did not cry; the pain stopped in my chest as I sat there. Emma's cool hands slipped around my waist, she held them there. I could feel her tears falling against my skin.

"Crying for me poppet?" I whispered as I felt another of her tears, she nodded against my shoulder. I leaned back into her embrace, my eyes locked onto each photograph in turn. Emma silently cried as she laid me back onto the bed and pushed away the newspapers. I lay facing her, staring at her crying as if I were fascinated by the concept. I reached out my hand to touch the moisture on her cheek. I pressed my tongue to my fingers tasting the salt of her tears before I brushed them away from her face and kissed her. "Don't cry." I whispered as I kissed her again.

The mark on my arm burned then, Emma felt it and jerked her hand back. We got out of the bed and dressed hurriedly, I held her hand and with a crack we disapparated to my Masters side.


	12. Chapter 12

The rain from the night before left a chill in the air in the woods that surrounded us. For a moment I thought we were the only ones. I saw a cauldron and movement up ahead, with our wands out we went silently towards the spot, my mask in place. Emma didn't like my mask, she had no fear other than for the wrath of our lord but they made her uneasy. She had told me once; the first time she had seen me with it that the masks were something from her nightmares. At the time I had let the twinge of guilt pass but now it intrigued me. She had known about my mask long before she had seen it, perhaps she had seen torturing going on before she had become my pupil.

"Welcome my true family." Said Voldemort as he circled us like a hungry panther. "Tonight we bring into our circle a new member."

I felt my body stiffen at the words, surly Emma would have told me if she were going to be marked. I stole a glance at her but her face was emotionless and unreadable.

"Bring him." My lord commanded, Emma cast her eyes to the ground for a moment and Voldemort saw her. My heart stopped in terror as he approached her. She met his eyes, he seemed to be weighing her in his mind and he smiled. "You will not be marked as a servant Emma."

My mind was reeling as he swept away from her, all the work she had done, and her talent far outweighed any number of the people around me who bore his Mark. That was all she had wanted since she was a child and he was denying her. I moved closer to her and found her fingers underneath the long sleeve of her robe. I laced into them and she laced them back, her face was stone like as she watched the newest servant of Lord Voldemort approach the circle.

My eyes formed into slits as I watched the hooded figure approach, he was in Emma's rightful place. Emma watched, her eyes never stealing a glance to anything but the hooded figure.

"Come Draco." I heard my lord say…Draco? Cissy's Draco…no, this cannot be, he is a boy. Not even of age. The hood fell back, the shock of white blond hair gleamed in the moonlight. In the same moment my heart swelled with pride to see my nephew being taken into our circle it was revolted that my Emma was not up there.

"You have come to this circle with no misgivings; you know the work that is set before you as a faithful servant of the Dark Lord. You will bind yourself to me and to those who surround you?" Voldemort said as the fire from beneath the cauldron blazed.

Draco nodded; I thought I saw his hand tremble as he raised his sleeve to expose his left arm.

"You offer yourself to me willingly?" Again Draco nodded, he did not speak the words; I had spoken them when I was asked these questions. I had bowed at my lords feet when he asked this of me.

My lord pulled from the fire a silver dagger, the tip of it glowed red hot in the darkness. It left a soft trail of light behind it as my lord moved it to pierce the serpent's heart.

"You have bound yourself to this order Draco; you have been tested and found worthy to stand in our midst." The serpent's blood was drained into the cauldron, blue sparks emitted from it now.

"Name your bondsman Draco." I knew in that moment that when it was finally Emma's turn, that I would be her bondsman, the person to whom you are accountable to in the absence of the dark lord.

"I have chosen Severus Snape." The hooded figure to Emma's left stepped forward. I was appalled but relieved, if he had spoken my name then I could not have been Emma's when the time came.

"Do you take this bond Severus?" I saw him nod, he extended his arm and the dagger pierced his flesh until it freely bled.

"A blood oath has been given," stated my lord, as memories of my own night flashed into my mind. Rudolphus had been my bondsman; a twinge of pain stabbed my heart for a moment at the thought of him. My thought returned to the initiation when the blood from the dagger was dropped into the cauldron as well. The sparks were now acid green.

The dagger was placed into the cauldron until it glowed red once more, Draco's eyes were widening as he pulled the material of his robe further up his arm. I could see out of the corner of my eye that Emma was holding her breath. The dagger traced the design of the mark over Draco's skin; the smell of his burning flesh filled the night air. You could see the design glowing as our lord carved into his skin, the red faded into black almost as once. It was over now. Draco was marked; the wound would take days to heal, a pain that I relished every second of in my youth. Draco was even paler than usual; it would serve him right if he passed out on the spot from the pain of it. He would be given his first mission now, whisked away with our lord and his bondsman, the details of his assignment known only to them.

My fingers laced tighter into Emma's, she was still watching Draco with hungry eyes. I did not have to tell her to come; she turned away from the sight of Draco, Snape, and Voldemort moving towards the woods to apparate away together. She did not meet my eyes; it was the mask I told myself even though I knew it was so much more than that.


	13. Chapter 13

We didn't return to the house right away; Emma let go of my hand when we landed and walked away from me. I hesitated to follow, she was angry, disappointed to say the least and I had no right to interfere with that but I followed anyway. I took hold of her arm before she could jerk it away.

"Emma." I said softly, she did not stop. I released her arm and pulled my mask away. "He is…" My tongue bordered on saying that my lord was wrong but he wasn't. He had his reasons for not marking Emma that night. "Do not be angry." I said as we continued to walk around the back of the house and through the gardens. "He is our lord Emma, our Master. He does what he feels is right."

Emma stopped at my words, "What he feels is right?" She said, her voice was cold and unshaken.

"Yes Emma, what is right. He will always do what is right and we must obey him. We have sworn-" Emma cut me off, "I have sworn nothing." She said glaring at me, "I have not been marked, I have pledged nothing to him."

I turned to look around us, "Shhh, someone will hear you." I said the back of my mind ready to kill McNair if he should appear.

"And carry tales of my limited devotion to our lord?" She spat out shaking her head.

"Wizards have died for less Emma." I said pressing my hand to her arm.

"He will not mark me as his servant." Emma whispered in disbelief. "Yet he marks a boy."

"Come we cannot talk freely here." I led her down by the creak, there was a little boat house there that we could use.

Once inside I locked the door and cast a wand around the area, I could take no chances of our conversation being overheard. My devotion was to my lord and to Emma.

"He does not mark Draco to honor him Emma." I said as I conjured a fire of blue flames to keep us warm.

Emma leaned back into a chair and looked at me with sad eyes. "Why does he mark him?"

"To punish Lucius." I said with a sigh, "He has displeased our lord to many times to be forgiven."

"He should be punished." Emma said, her devotion to our lord was still there as I knew it had been all along even through her pain of rejection.

"He should." I said in agreement.

"Am I so unworthy?" Emma said after several long minutes of silence.

I swallowed hard, "No Emma, you're not unworthy. Our lord is punishing me."

Emma stared at me.

"I failed to retrieve the prophesy, I allowed Lucius and Rudolphus to be captured…I allowed Potter to live." I rubbed my hands over my face and looked at Emma who was still staring at me. "I have cost you your mark for the time being and I am sorry." The words almost choked in my throat, it was rare that I apologized; in fact, Emma and my lord were the only two people in the world I had apologized to and meant it.

I wouldn't have blamed her if she had killed me then, if she had hurled a curse at me so completely that all that was left would be my shattered body but she did none of those things. She stood from where she had been sitting and held her hand out to me.

"Then we shall have to show our lord that we are his most loyal and most trusted servants." She said using the phrase I had drilled into her brain since the age of five. I had instilled in her a sense of entitlement for what she wanted and what she wanted was to be marked, to be bound into the darkness of our existence forever.


	14. Chapter 14

He summoned me a few weeks later in the middle of the night. I was curled up with Emma at my side, the Daily Prophet heralding Emma's triumph from the day before with the Vance and Bones murders. True I had been there but in the end it was Emma who had delivered the death blows. I let her have them; I laid Amelia out on the floor before her, bound her body with fire and told Emma to strike. It was a thing of beauty to behold, Emma with her wand held out, the green jet of light, the rushing sound of death speeding through the room as it ripped through Amelia's body. I could still shiver with the memory of it, the smile of satisfaction on Emma's face when the lights left Amelia Bones' eyes.

I stood before my lord, in the dungeons of the house; I suppressed a smile to my lips as the memory of Emma's laughter, when she was torturing the Vance woman before she killed her, played through my mind.

"You have pleased me Bella; your abilities far outweigh your failures. I have an assignment for you and your charge. It requires your delicate touch I should say." My lord smiled at me. "You have taught her well Bellatrix; she honors me with her loyalty."

"She is a most loyal servant my lord." I said as I bowed. "She will delight in whatever assignment you have for us."

"You wish to ask me why I do not mark her." My lord leaned forward as I stammered.

"I do not question your decisions Master, though she was disappointed at the time. I have since talked with her and she is most accommodating to whatever your will is for her future."

"But still, you wish to ask me." He pressed again; I knew he could see it in my mind; though I was secure in my knowledge that my thoughts did not show disloyalty through opposition.

"If only to know if it is a shortcoming in me that you have seen fit to punish her by."

"There is no shortcoming through you Bellatrix, you have created her into a witch who has a thirst for death and destruction that matches my own. I am grateful for that."

I looked up at him as he said this, he should be telling Emma all this.

"I have no doubt you will relay all that I have said when you take her into your bed tonight."

I swallowed, "I will reveal only what you require of me Master and no more." I did not deny taking Emma into my bed, he knew she was there. He knew she was in my bed at this very moment; that she had been in my bed every night since the failure at the Ministry.

I could tell this pleased my Master, he smiled at me. I averted my eyes so that the images in my head would remain private.

"Come and I will tell you what I need for you to do." My Master stood and held his hand out to me, he never informed us of our assignments inside the house. He always took us away, sometimes to a cave in the rocks by the sea; another time he had taken me to a ruin of a shack that was so overgrown with nettles you could not see the sky. Tonight we went to another ruin, I knew this place; I had watched it years before. Godric's Hollow.


	15. Chapter 15

I looked around, the house still lay in the ruins it had been in fifteen years before only shrubs and animals had decided to make it their habitat now.

"They thought me dead Bella." Voldemort said as we walked through the ruins of the house.

"I did not my lord." I said even though I knew he knew this.

"No Bella you did not, you were and are my most devoted servant." I was pleased to hear him say this after my failure at the Ministry.

"Lucius failed me Bella." Voldemort said as he sat down near the remains of the fireplace. "Had he done what I instructed him to do, had he for one moment in his despair held to the thought that I would return…Well, the Potter boy would be no more I am certain of that."

I stood in silence waiting for him to continue.

"What has kept him from death for his transgressions is you Bellatrix."

I blinked in surprise, with the exception of my love for Cissy, I did not care if Lucius lived or died.

"You know the lengths I have gone to overcome death, to escape that weakness of mere mortality."

I nodded, there were many times, in the early days I had been sent to find ancient spells, seek out those who were rumored to be immortals. I knew his quest well.

"Lucius unknowingly damaged part of my plan, my backup to death so to speak. I will not make the same mistake twice."

Was he going to trust me with the secrets he had told Lucius?

"I gave Emma to you to teach and to mold into something greater than a servant and you have done well."

"She is very strong." I said in agreement.

"She must be protected at all costs Bellatrix."

"Of course my lord, she is well protected in your presence." I admonished to him.

"It is dangerous for her there Bella, it is dangerous to me." He said with a growl.

"I do not understand…"

"Lucius did not protect the gift I gave him; he wasted it when he thought me finished. "

I nodded; there were rumors of a diary that was given to Lucius that the Potter boy had destroyed. But Emma was a person, she was not an object.

"I am leaving these shores Bellatrix, I am rallying our brothers in the East. You must stay behind with Emma."

"But we will help you my lord. We will bring people to our cause-" "NO BELLA", my lord said loudly. "You must promise me that you will not follow, that you will protect Emma with your life no matter what happens to me. I am not so foolish to think that I cannot be defeated."

I knew better than to argue the point, I nodded.

"Swear to me that you will protect her even if it means your death."

"Certainly my lord."

He bound his hand to mine for a moment to seal the accord we had reached. While it was not the unbreakable vow it was close enough.

"Now for you assignment…"


	16. Chapter 16

Emma woke with a start in the bed, her hand reached for me but I was sitting in a chair by the fireplace staring into its depths. I heard her gasp when she woke, I inclined my head, "Shhh poppet go back to sleep."

I heard the sheets rustling as she tried to settle back down, finally, sooner then I expected really, she had given up and I heard her moving out of the bed. Her feet padded against the floor as she came over to the fire.

"You were gone for hours." She said quietly as she sat in the chair opposite me.

"Was I?" I said as I turned my attention back to the fire.

I could see her frown as she studied me, "Are you angry with me Bellatrix?"

"Never poppet." My death eater mask was in my lap, Emma moved from her seat to mine. I moved my arms to let her sit in my lap and stare into the fire with me. I closed my arms around her waist and held her there. After a moment or two I looked up and saw that she wasn't looking into the fire but at my mask.

"What?" I said when I looked at her eyes almost transfixed by it.

"Have you always had this, since, since you became his servant?" She said as her fingers ran over the intricate lines that crisscrossed into patterns across the flat of it.

"Yes." I said turning it up so she could see it better. "You'll get one as well. When the time is right."

She nodded as she continued to trace her fingers across it.

"Who makes them? The masks I mean."

I smiled at this, "Ah, that would be Mr. Ollivander, the wand maker."

"Did he make my wand?" Emma asked as she lifted the mask up to her face and peered at me from behind it.

I laughed, "He did actually, but you were so little then. Do you remember when I brought you your wand?" I asked as I waved my wand to conjure a mirror so she could see herself.

"No." She said as she looked at herself closer. "How does it stay up, on your face." She said as she pulled it down to check for mugglestyle strings that had been on a mask she wore for Halloween once.

I smiled and took the mask from her and placed it on my own face where it stayed without needing to be held, "Because it's like a wand. The mask chooses the witch or wizard it belongs to." I pulled it off and handed it back to her. "It's made just for me."

"And Ollivander makes them when someone gets a dark mark or he has them already made?"

"He makes them when someone receives their mark. He doesn't keep them in the shop. He could be caught if he did that, thrown into Azkaban." I said as I stretched a little and took the mask from Emma's hand and sat it on the table near us.

"How does he know? That someone has been marked?"

I stroked her hair slowly, "He's a death eater." I replied rubbing her back.

Emma blinked in surprise, "I've never seen him."

"He only comes when someone has been marked."

"Well how does he know the mask will work for the person that was marked?"

"Mmm, well, he takes the dagger that was used to mark the person and he uses it to carve the designs into the mask. He makes about three different masks from what I saw when Rodolphus got his. And then he pricks your finger and you touch each one." I yawned and pulled Emma down onto my shoulder. "And then you try each one and whichever one bonds to you, that's your mask."

"What does he do with the others?"

"He throws them into the cauldron." I said as I placed a kiss to the top of her head. "And speaking of Ollivander, we're going to see him next week."

Emma sat up and looked at me, "We?"

I nodded, "The Dark lord has given us an assignment." I said with a smile.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

The ancient wand maker sat in the parlor of the house sipping his tea. His silvery eyes always distracted me a bit when we talked.

"It was good of you to come retrieve me Bella." He said with a polite nod.

"It was my pleasure Mr. Ollivander."

"I was saddened by the news of Rodolphus' kiss. I did hold out hope that he would just receive another prison term. I guess the kiss is the only way to prevent escaping. Though I dare say it is rather a shame that he couldn't have been imprisoned after the Dementors left."

I frowned when the conversation had turned to Rodolphus, the man that sat in the cell of Azkaban was not my husband. My husband was lost to me forever, his passion, his love for our Master had been sucked away for all time. Ollivander seemed to sense my unease and he changed the conversation at top speed.

"Emma has grown into a remarkable woman."

"She has." I said in agreement.

"I will admit I was worried when she was a child that she might turn towards the other side but the moment our lord set you as her mistress; well her actions are evident of your tutoring."

"She is very special."

"I look forward to making her mask. I have her carvings already envisioned."

"Have you?" I said with interest, did he know when she was meant to be marked?

"Oh yes, in fact when the young Malfoy boy was declared for marking I was disappointed. I had it in my head that it would be Emma's turn. Has he commented on why she is so overlooked?"

I wasn't stupid enough to even nibble at that bait. "The Dark lord marks when the time is right and not a moment to soon or to late."

"So now we've discussed all but the weather, which coincidentally is beautiful this time of year, why were you sent for me?"

"Because you're the best wand maker in the world; we certainly can't have you producing wands for the other side."

"I am indiscriminate in my creations." He said in defense.

"It is time to discriminate Mr. Ollivander, the right wand in the wrong hands could be disastrous for us."

"It was not a problem in the last war."

Why was this man daring to argue with me? I scowled; negotiations were not my strong suite.

"We are taking no chances Ollivander. Do you wish to be relieved of your position in our circle?" I knew what his answer would be; there were few who left our circle; those who did often found the price for freedom much too high. Most of the time, they never reached more than a moment of freedom before I found them.

"I assure you I do not." Ollivander stated quickly.

"Then you will not object to joining our lord in the East." It was not a question.

"I have no objections though I have a few affairs to attend to before setting out."

"You no longer have affairs to attend to." I said shortly

"Surly you can't expect me to just leave in the dead of night." He said with a nervous laugh.

I said nothing; I stared into those silver eyes of his and took a sip of tea. One would think we were discussing meeting somewhere for lunch.

Mr. Ollivander cleared his throat; "The East is nice this time of year."

I smiled. The East was very nice this time of year.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

My eyes were slits behind my mask; I circled my prey slowly as a smile twisted my lips. The small whimpers that escaped my victim did nothing to stop the assault I had put into play. I pulled my wand towards me making the ropes tighter around my victim's wrists; a soft laugh escaped my lips. The sight of my prey helpless, bound and begging made me feel alive.

I could see the welts the rope was causing, little scratches and small amounts of blood dotted the surface of skin there. "Enough?" I said before striking with my wand once more in a slashing motion. A cut appeared beneath the ribs, it was accompanied by a cry for mercy. The designs I had carved in the flesh had ceased to bleed, that was disappointing. I healed them over quickly and began again.

"I'll make the cuts deeper this time so the bleed more. Alright?" I said when I traced my wand along a freshly healed cut. "Would like for them to bleed more? Does it feel good when they do that?" There was no answer only more whimpers. "Awww cat got your tongue?" I started to laugh then, "No, I'm wrong, Bella has your tongue." The man that lay on the floor at my feet couldn't scream, guttural sounds were heard from his throat and nothing more.

"I should hide you; let everyone think you're still successful in running from us…" I pretended to think this over; "Open your eyes Karkaroff, I want you to see death coming for you." I hissed against his skin. I felt his body tense under my fingers, his fear made my head swim.

"**Avada Kedavra." I hissed, the green jet of light from my wand lit the boat house. Karkaroff's eyes looked into mine as death sped towards him and I smiled. **


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

I tossed Igor's wand and mask on top of the dresser before taking off my own. Emma was asleep in a chair by the fire. She should have been with me that night but I couldn't risk Igor harming her; she was under my protection still after all these years.

I watched her sleeping for a moment before I pulled off my robes. Blood and dust flecked my cheeks and arms. When I came out of the bath Emma was still sleeping. I went over to her and laid my head in her lap and closed my eyes.

I felt her stir beneath me and then I smiled at the feel of her hands in my hair.

"Is everything ok?" She asked as my hands rubbed her legs and I pressed a kiss to her nightgown.

I didn't answer, my hands moved beneath the soft sheer material that made up her covering.

"Bella…" She breathed when my fingers touched her skin.

I glanced up for a second and met her eyes before I pulled away the fabric from her body. I stood up and pulled her to the bed, my silence was disturbing her so she asked again if everything was all right. I retrieved my wand and tied her hands to the bed posts.

I sat back in the bed and drank in the sight of her body, unmarked, no blood anywhere on her skin; I traced my fingers in the patterns I had carved into Igor's skin before leaning over to kiss every delicate inch as if there were really cuts there.

My mouth moved up to hers, I thrust my tongue inside pressing it against hers. She kissed me back, her body shivered in the cool air of the house. I spread my body over hers to keep her warm. My lips whispered against her skin in small breaths. Soft little sounds escaped her throat when I kissed there, I could feel the vibrations against my lips.

I traced my wand over her skin to watch it dance beneath the brushes of sparks. She pulled against the restraints, red little welts started to form on her wrists and I pulled them tighter to keep her from fighting against them.

This wasn't the first time I had tied her up, it was however the first time I had not released her when she had pulled against the restraints. She whimpered again and pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked down at her, not through a mask as I had done earlier that night with Igor, but with my own eyes, nothing interfering. There was no fear coming off her body, I smiled.

My mouth closed over her ear, my tongue traced against it as she groaned and tried to pull against the restraints again.

"Let me go…" She said in a soft voice and I smiled as I kissed away from her ear and down her neck. She repeated her request and I raised my head to look at her face, she was between ecstasy and pain.

"No." I breathed and then kissed each wrist near the rope. She pulled again and I sat back. I saw her wince in pain when she pulled this time; the ropes were cutting into her skin.

"Don't fight them Emma." I whispered as I relaxed the restraints a little and healed the small cuts.

I moved the wand around her body now; her arms were more relaxed as she let herself fall into the movements I was making against her skin. Her skin was so perfect; my lips caressed every curve of her body slowly.

She was aching for me; she whispered encouragement every time I drew near to where she needed me. When she did this I backed away from the spot to tease another.

"Please Bella…" She groaned as I moved away from the breast that I had just been teasing.

"Please what?" I said as I bit the inside of her thigh.

"Please stop teasing me." She breathed in frustration as I brushed my tongue against her clit.

I teased her with my wand, in a way that was honoring her request to stop teasing her myself. She groaned as the cold wood rubbed against her center. My mouth kissed against her skin when she arched up against my touches. I let the wand circle her opening and she groaned again.

I crawled up her body and pressed my lips to hers, the wand still moving against her folds. She kissed me as hard as she could, her mouth begging into the kiss to release her from the ties.

"You want to touch me?" I asked against her lips, the wand pressed against her clit.

"Yes." She whispered as she rocked her hips towards the wood.

"You want me to touch you?" I said, the tongue slipping into her mouth for a moment before withdrawing.

"Yessss." She hissed and arched her back again as I rubbed the wand against her opening.

"You want me inside you?" I asked. She was beyond words now; her breath was coming faster as she rocked against my hand and my wand.

All at once I released her hands, kissed her in the middle of her breath and slid the end of my wand inside her. She screamed into the kiss, her body wrapped against mine as her whole body shook. I wouldn't release her from the kiss as she came, I took her breath from her; I couldn't stop. Everything in my exploded, I cast my wand to the side and broke the kiss off, my teeth cut into her skin as I kissed her neck. I bite and kissed everywhere my mouth could reach, her whole body was shuddering against me and I clawed at her perfect skin. I couldn't get close enough to her; I couldn't get inside her as far as I wanted to go. I said her name with every bite into her tender flesh, with every soft kiss I laid to her breasts. We ceased to be two separate people, our bodies melted into one another. She was shaking against me; her arms clinging to my body as I tried drink her down.

She was alive; I could feel her life moving through me. Her heart pounded into my ears, her chest rising and falling with every breath. I pressed her to my body; my desperate need slowly ebbed away. I pulled up the blankets to cover her; I kissed the bruises on her wrists from where I had tied her up. I had marked her perfect skin. I pressed my lips to every spot that I had touched so roughly earlier. I laid my head to her chest, my breathing was normal now. I listened to her heart beating; I looked up into her eyes to see the light in them looking down at me. I was lost inside her; I was lost in her as I used to get lost in my husband.

I pressed my face to her neck and pulled the blankets around us tightly. After several long minutes of pressing my body to hers and just holding her I looked at her. She smiled at me.

"Is everything ok?" She repeated her question from earlier. I nodded.

"I killed a man tonight." I said as I pressed my lips to hers in a soft kiss.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

I saw him in the street today, the boy who lived. I laughed to myself to see him. So arrogant, if I had not been in such a hurry I would have cursed him where he stood. But, my lord wants to finish him. He has promised me others to satisfy my urges, the mudblood friend of Harry Potter; I looked forward to making her bleed. I smiled to myself when I thought of her.

Emma and I walked along in Knockturn Alley, pollyjuice potion in our cups as we walked along. We had to pay a visit to Florean. I had known Florean in school, he was a gentle boy never one for violence.

The day was dying, the sun hung low as we waited outside Florean's ice-cream parlor. We waited, the alley was dark enough to conceal us, and I slipped my mask on. Emma watched me for a moment, something flashed over her face for a moment. Was she jealous?

"Are you jealous pet?" I whispered; my hands slipped around her waist for a moment.

"Yes." She replied with a frown.

"I'll let you finish him if he doesn't come with us." Those words made her smile, she craved that power. I could do no wrong in her eyes when I granted her wish to strike and decide if she would be merciful or not.

I knocked on the door, Emma stayed back, the pollyjuice potion had worn off now. Florean opened the door and froze.

"The Dark lord sends his greetings." I said as I pushed the door open the rest of the way. Emma followed me, her face still in shadows. Florean back up as I smiled.

"Your lord is no friend of mine. I will ask you to leave peacefully." He stammered a little.

"Mmmm you ask peacefully." My voice purred. "I do not like peace Florean, that is when wars are created by the bored and worthless." I leaned forward, my hand reached out for his robes.

"My lord requests your presence in the East."

"I have no desire to meet your lord."

My eyebrow rose, what a brave fool I saw standing before me.

"I had hoped that we could come to an understanding but you leave me little choice Florean."

I nodded to Emma, her smiled at him, her wand posed to strike like a cat to a mouse.

Florean moaned as his body sank to the ground, he twitched in convulsions as Emma stood there.

I allowed my dark angel her games for a few more minutes and I held my hand to pause her. For a moment I did not think that she would. Bless her, she does get over excited at times and carried away.

I touched her arm and she backed away.

"You will have to excuse the dear sweet child; she does get overexcited when she plays."

Florean was lying on the ground gasping; his face was covered in sweat.

"Now, what was it that I wanted to ask you?" I said as I leaned down over him, "Oh that's right. Will you meet my lord in the East?"

Florean was gasping still and unable to answer.

"It seems that Florean cannot answer, perhaps you can get him to respond." I said standing back up and leaning against the counter. Emma brandished her wand like a whip, a trail of fire came from the end and wrapped around Florean's body. He screamed so loud I thought everyone would hear him over the silencing charm I had placed around the room. With a glance at Emma she stopped.

"I hear that heat can often loosen a tongue, did it work for you?"

There was silence, he was not dead, I could see him breathing.

"You're not dead." I said in a singsong voice. "I imagine you wish that you were. Perhaps I should introduce my dear little one to your family." I turned to Emma. "Would you like that poppet?"

She laughed.

"You see, that would make her happy and I will do everything in my power to make her happy. Such devotion we all have to our loved ones happiness. My sweet poppet would love to kill you Florean, she is very capable I assure you. But I think perhaps you should introduce us to your family first."

"S-stop…" I heard him gasp.

"Stop? Oh my I don't think I can stop her. You know young people now days, give them something fun and then take it away. She'll stay locked in her room for hours saying I am terrible and refusing to come into my bed. You wouldn't want her thinking I am terrible and denying the desires of my bed would you?"

"Wh-what d-do you want?" He wheezed.

"Tell him nicely what you want poppet, he did not seem to understand me when I told him." I could tell she was unsure if I meant for her to tell him or to play again. I smiled at her and she knew that she was free to play.

I turned around and hunted around for a glass to get some water, Florean's screams piercing into my ears made me smile. I love when they scream, when the pitch of it makes my ears ring. I leaned over the counter watching as I sipped on the water. I did not have to tell Emma enough was enough she showed surprising reserve.

"Well done Poppet." I said brushing my hand over hers, her wand was very hot and I let it burn into my skin. I closed my eyes for a second at the heat of it.

"Ask him Poppet." I said as I looked at the length of the burn across my hand.

Emma nudged him with her foot, "Will you go?" She said; her smile was angelic.

Florean nodded, blood oozed from his mouth.

I stunned him and threw an invisibility cloak over him, Emma and I went outside into the alleyway.

I pulled the sleeve up of my robe and touched my wand to it; a giant green Dark mark erupted from the end of my wand and went into the sky to hang over Florean's ice-cream parlor.

I held my hand out for Emma to hold, her hand brushed my mark and she smiled.

"I am so proud of you poppet." I said before the loud pop sounded and we were whisked away before the Aurors and the Magical Law Enforcement could arrive.


	21. Chapter 21

My nephew was going to be killed if he did not finish his assignment, my Master informed me. I was sitting in the parlor of my sister's home while she wept. Cissy was so beautiful, even when she cried.

"Do not cry Cissy." I protested when a fresh wave of sobs overtook her.

"He is my son Bella, my only son. What would you have me do?" Her handkerchief was pressed to her mouth.

"You must tell Draco to finish what he has started. He cannot grow lazy, it must be done." I hissed, it was an embarrassment to have my Master threaten my nephew.

"He tries Bella. He is beside himself, he cannot do it."

I clicked my tongue in disapproval, "Draco gives up to easily. He must try harder Cissy. Our lord is growing impatient with his continued failings."

"He has told you this?" Cissy said swallowing down tears.

"He remarked that he should have sent Emma to do the job."

"That isn't fair. Emma has had you to teach her. Draco has had those mudblood loving fools teaching him."

I scowled at this, "Emma is exceptional Cissy. Do not blame Draco's teachers for his woeful shortcomings. You should have been teaching him from birth. Why Emma surpassed the talent he has now when she was twelve."

Cissy glared at me over her dainty handkerchief, she should have sent the boy to the East to be educated. That was her mistake.

"He's my only child Bella."

"I have no children Cissy, if I had; you know that I would give them up to the service of our lord for his noble cause. You should be full of regret that you only have one child to sacrifice."

"Will, if Draco fails, will it be you Bella?" Cissy breathed. I closed my eyes at her words.

"No Cissy, I believe if he fails that our Master will do it himself. I hope Draco overcomes his shortcomings so that our lord does not have to."

Cissy seemed relieved that it would not be I that would end Draco's life if he should fail. In the back of my mind however, I think it would fare better for Draco if I was his executioner; I would see to it that it was painless for him. My lord would show no such mercy.


	22. Chapter 22

Dumbledore was dead. I laughed as I heard the news. We had lost only one in the battle; it was revealed that Draco had cast the Imperious Curse on Rosemerta, she would have to be dealt with. Emma had wanted to go but I would not risk her nor would my lord. Dumbledore was the only one my lord feared and he was gone. I laughed again as I read over the owl from Severus for the tenth time. No force on earth could stop us now. Severus' only regret was that he had to stay his hand from finishing off the Potter brat. His handwriting was shaky on the part where he wrote that he had slashed Harry Potter's face. Perhaps there would be another scar to add to his sickening fame.

My lord had returned from the East, new followers came as well; it was exciting. The feeling through my brethren was electric. What had me humming to myself that day was not just the continued goodness that came to my heart that Dumbledore was dead; but that my lord had finally told me that Emma would be marked. He had allowed me to tell her as she was my pupil, my most perfect creation; my reason for breathing as Rodolphus had once been for me.

She had not flinched when the dagger pierced her skin; she stared into the pitiless eyes of our Master, her own eyes reflected the same depths of soullessness. I shivered next to her, I loved her eyes. She showed no mercy when she killed, nothing reflected except the passion she felt when she watched the green light of death rush towards her victims. Her lust for the kill matched my own and for that I was grateful.

My fingers entwined with hers as we were bonded as family, the dagger scrapped across her skin before my Master began to carve the sign of our family into her skin. The red flames seared into her flesh, the light of it pressed against my eyes through my mask. It glowed as Draco's had, as mine had so many years before. The flame left her skin black and blistered, for a moment I thought I had felt her hand twitch in mine but maybe I had imagined it because the next thing I felt was her hand leaving mine to entwine with Voldemort's hand as she knelt.

The moon was high that night, the trees were silver, and the masks of my family glinted as they moved against the fire light. They were disapparating now after welcoming Emma officially into our circle. We left the circle with our lord; we were united now, blood to blood. I imagined her blood moving through my veins as we held fast to the robes of my Master. Emma would receive her assignment now; she had gone on missions before, tortured and killed for the cause readily. But now it was different, she was no longer pupil. My lord had informed me that she was to be protected as always, that her life came before all others. I knew this; Emma's life had come before mine since the day she was given to me.


	23. Chapter 23

The Potter brats name had been on the parchment that was given to Emma. She was not meant to kill him, much to our collective dismay. Our source close to Harry Potter informed us that he had no desire to return to Hogwarts, this made me smile. The protection of his muggle filth family was fast coming to an end.

He was not hard to find, his love of playing the hero made certain of that. Oh the Potter brat pretended that he loathed reporters from the Daily Prophet but the truth was; he relished in it. I smirked to myself as Emma and I sat on the swings at the park near Wisteria Walk. She checked her watch and glanced at me.

"We cannot kill him poppet." I said in a quiet voice. She nodded; our swings moving slowly.

"We're only meant to torture him a little." I glanced around, our polyjuice potion giving us the appearance of two teenage girls.

"And the Order?" She said staring down at her left arm where her dark mark was present when she was not under polyjuice potion.

"They guard him very closely. The mutant and werewolf." I responded, the mutant being my niece. I lamented my niece, such a beautiful mate she would have been for my Emma. Andromeda's betrayal cut me still.

"I mean if we should meet up with them?" Emma said as she fingered her arm slowly. The polyjuice didn't keep it from being raw.

"No survivors." I said simply, Emma nodded. I glanced at my own watch. Ten minutes until midnight. I stood.

"What if the boy is not there?" She said as we started slowly down walk to Privet Drive.

"He is there." I said tilting my head sideways at her.

"If I didn't know you better poppet I would say there is fear in your voice." I did not hide the disgust in my voice.

Emma stopped in her tracks, her eyes glared. "I fear none but my master." Her voice was strong and sharp as she said this, the polyjuice potion fading off both of us.

With one more glance towards each other we slid our masks into place and knocked on the door.


	24. Chapter 24

It had been an ambush. Deep cuts were still on my face and arms when we made it back to our safe house. Two were dead, including the Potter brat's uncle. Emma was clutching her chest and gasping as we slammed into the lawn. I couldn't stand up; I sank into the sweet dampness of the earth. I could feel the blood seeping down my arms as I heard the rush of footsteps around me.

The boy had been there, the boy had a locket clutched in his hand. It was certainly a locket that did not belong there. I had him cornered, my wand under this throat. My fingers had wrapped around the heavy silver chain of the locket. He tried to fight me for it; I punched him in the jaw as hard as I could. I felt his bones break beneath my fist. He released the locket into my hand when my niece arrived.

I heard her gasp; I smiled and tucked the locket away to keep it safe. My eyes drank in the sight of her. She looked terrible compared to the first time we had fought. She was a younger version of me all over, the shift of my attention to that detail lasted only a moment before I blocked her stunner. She was fast; my shield held as she stepped closer and sent another volley of spells.

Emma told me later that it was eerie to watch the two of us fight, the younger version of me fighting the older. We fought in silence, the advantage of nonverbal spells. Emma had injured the werewolf; she stood over him and snapped his wand in two. She looked up at me and then down at her victim, a smile lit up her face at the fear in his eyes.

The curse came in a whisper, but the silence of the room made it sound as if Emma had roared it. Nymphadora had tried to fling herself in front of the werewolf to save him, in that lapse of judgment I had her. I could have killed her, the words were on the tip of my tongue but I refrained. I restrained her, snapping her wand quickly between us I forced her to watch as the green rush of light flew from Emma's wand tip to the werewolf's body.

"Watch your lover die." I cooed into her ear, she was trembling against me. When it was over I threw her down to him, she clung to his lifeless form screaming. I watched her scream, Emma stood back, and her wand was pointed at Nymphadora's heart.

"No." I hissed at her, my hand rose to move her wand away. "Let her live. There are worse thing than death poppet."

I should have let her kill her; I should have known that Nymphadora would be prepared. She pulled a wand from nowhere. I saw it before Emma did; I shoved Emma as hard as I could out of the way, Nymphadora's killing curse singed the bottom of my robes. The slashing motion from her wand sliced into my skin a moment later. I kicked out at her as hard as I could, her lips split beneath the toe of my shoe.

The locket was heavy in my hand as I clung to the ground, my mouth pressed into the dirt and grass beneath me. I didn't know how we had gotten out, the Aurors arrived and the next thing I knew Emma had grabbed me and we were spinning away.

"Emma" I cried out in a strangled voice, my fingers moved across the grass until they closed back onto Emma's.

"I'm here." Emma panted as she tried to help me stand.

I opened up my eyes and saw my lord standing over me; I pressed the locket into his hand.

"He had it…he knows…" I said before the sweet darkness closed over me again.


	25. Chapter 25

I was exhausted; the dark lord would not stop talking. He paced back and forth in front of my eyes. My head was spinning, my mouth still tasted of earth as I sat. I could feel the dried blood crusted on my check; my niece was going to pay for that one. I brought my thoughts back to the matter at hand. The Potter brat knew the secret, he knew about the lengths my master had gone to cheat death…would he know about Emma as well? Her face swam into my vision; my master's eyes glowed as he focused on me.

"The auror; she protects the boy?"

"She does my lord."

"She's your sister's child?"

"Yes my lord."

"And her father?"

"He is a filthy mudblood my lord." I said with a swallow. Andromeda's choice still brought shame to me.

"Kill him. Send the message that if your little niece doesn't give up the boy that her mother will die as well."

I smiled at this, through the pain of the nights events. Ted Tonks dead by my hand. No prophecy in the world would keep my niece from protecting the boy over her own family.


	26. Chapter 26

I went alone. I did not need Emma for this. I sat at the kitchen table, my eyes drinking in the sight off all the muggle artifacts my sister had in her home. It made me ill to look at it. I knew she would be there soon, it was close to three in the morning, Andy always came into the kitchen around this time.

At five minutes past I heard her, my wand lay in my lap, less than an inch from my fingers. There was a soft gasp when she saw me, her face frozen in fear. She did not have her wand, she was defenseless and I smiled.

"Hello Andy." I said while Andy seemed to be catching her breath.

"Get out." She said once she had regained herself.

"Now Andy, I came to talk to you. Don't you want to hear what I have to say?" I said in the singsong calm voice that I knew would annoy her.

"I don't want to hear anything you have got to say Bella. Leave now."

"No." I said simply, I waved my wand in the direction of her door to slam it shut. I locked the room around us quickly and stared at her. "I didn't want us to be disturbed." I said by way of explanation.

Andy looked like a trapped animal now; her chest was heaving in panic.

"I want to talk to you." I repeated after I put up a silencing charm on the room as well. I had to admit, muggle made dwellings were so much easier to enchant than their magical counterparts.

We sat staring at one another for what seemed like ages, I moved my hands onto the table top, my eyebrows rose in question for her to come and sit.

"How did you get in." She finally said.

"Andy," I said with patience, "I'm your sister; blood tributes do little to keep me out. If you really wanted to keep me out there are other charms you can use." I smiled then, "You never did want to keep me out if I remember."

Andy blushed in anger then, "You filthy-"

"Oh goodness, are you going to reduce our happy reunion to name calling? I think we're a bit too old for that."

She leaned against the doorframe. "You've come to finally kill me is it?"

"No, I told you, I've come to talk, what happens after that is up to you. Right now I want to talk so sit in the bloody chair and listen."

I hid my surprise when she sat, her hands rubbing her eyes before she looked at me again.

"You killed him Bella? My daughter's lover?"

"No." I said, "That credit goes to another."

"You were responsible for the attack then. She said you came out of nowhere. That you killed that boy's uncle Bella."

"I did what I had to do. He had the chance to get out of the way Andy. I always give them a chance…" I hesitated…"That is why I am here."

"Because you killed that man?" Andy said her voice shook slightly; she knew, of course she knew why I was there.

"To give you a chance."

Andy's breath caught in her throat at that point. "What? For what Bella?"

"I am giving you a chance to save that filth you call a husband. Our lord has ordered me to kill him."

"He is not my lord."

"He was." I said reaching out to grasp her arm, my thumb nail tracing over her arm where her mark would have been. "You once swore your loyalty to him."

Andy tried to pull her arm away but I held it tight. "Did you hear me Andy; our lord wants your husband dead."

Andy shook her head, "W-why he- he has done nothing…why-"

"Because your daughter has. She has something I need Andy and if she doesn't give it to me. He's dead."

Tears filled Andy's eyes, I scowled at them. I hated it when Andy cried; she was so weak at times.

I turned my face, her tears were indecent.

"Bella…no…" Andy gasped and shook her head. "We're protected…"

"You were protected."

"She can't…she can't give you anything Bella…"

"She has the boy Andy."

Andy looked horrified, "Harry Potter?"

I smiled, "That would be the one."

"But she can't…Bella… she can't just hand him over…"

"Then her father dies." I stood up releasing Andy's arm. "It's her choice Andy."

Another sob choked in Andy's throat, I brushed her hair back from her face.

"Don't cry." I whispered as I pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Just ask Nymphadora what matters to her more, her family, or Harry Potter."


	27. Chapter 27

It was my nieces fault in the end that I did what I did. I had warned Andy, I had told her what would happen if Nymphadora did not give up the boy. I sat sipping my tea and staring out onto the grounds. I could not dismiss the sight of Andy crying over her mudblood of a husband. Nymphadora was stronger than I thought, despite her mother's betrayal to the purity of our family line; Nymphadora exhibited some of the finer Black traits.


	28. Chapter 28

There were screams all around me, fire, and smoke curled up from the bodies near my feet. I could not see; the spells were blocking out the sun or the moon. We had been fighting so long that I could not tell if it was day or night.

I chanced a glance around, I could not see Emma through the thick smoke that surrounded us, I could hear her though and that mudblood filth Hermione Granger. My wand was broken underneath me; I could feel it in pieces against my stomach. I slipped sideways over the body of some Auror I never caught the name of, it was the least I could have done I suppose for having killed him some moments ago.

"I wouldn't." Hissed a low voice as my hand reached for his wand, I looked up and saw Neville Longbottom, his wand pointed at my heart. I laughed.

"Come to avenge mummy and daddy?" I said with a purr, my hand still reaching for the wand. "Come to try and curse me and make me pay?" There is was the smooth end of the polished mahogany wand.

"I will." Said the Longbottom boy, a touch of his nerves had crept into his voice to betray his fear of me.

I closed my hand over the end of the wand and brought it flying up to knock away Longbottom's. I pointed it at his heart and smiled. "Now then, where we were?"

He let out a whimper and he glared, "I'm not afraid of you." He said in his bravest would be hero voice.

"Then you're very stupid." I said pressing the tip of the wand into his chest. "Lets see

how long you last." I didn't say it out loud, I didn't need to he knew it was coming. A jet of red

light erupted from the dead Auror's wand tip hitting Longbottom in the chest. His screams were

beautiful, I begged him to continue. I watched his eyes roll back into his head, the slight foaming

began at the corners of his mouth as he tried to vomit away his pain. "Scream louder

Longbottom, your friends can't hear you." I said twisting the wand harder into his chest.

I could feel his heart racing against my palm, "You broke my wand boy." I spat out

leaning my weight into the wand now. "I was just going to kill you and be merciful, but now…"

I jerked the wand up and lifted the curse for a moment; a stream of red went just over my head,

a stunner. I looked in the direction from where it came and saw the Mudblood standing there,

Emma was on the ground at her feet.

I jerked Longbottom up by his hair and pointed my wand at his throat, the Mudblood

had my full attention now.

"Let him go." She said, her wand still trained on me. She wasn't stupid, she wasn't smart

but she wasn't stupid.

For a moment I thought Emma was dead but then I felt her staring at me, I didn't chance

a glance down to her face just yet.

"I don't bargain with filth." I said spitting out some blood.

"Pity because if you don't, I'll kill her." She said kicking Emma in the back. I would have cursed her then, killed her in a second but she was crouching now waiting for it. She was too close to Emma the blast would kill her as well.

My fingers tightened in Longbottom's hair, "I'll kill him." I said as I narrowed my eyes at her. I kept eye contact with her, stupid wizards always thought a stare down intimidates. I smirked, at her to keep her staring. I could see what she was thinking, what spell she was going to do next. I felt her fear coming at me in waves.

"Release the girl." I said not looking away, if she was trying to invade my mind she was doing a poor job.

"And have you kill him the moment I let her go?"

I said nothing, my fingers threatened to rip his hair out by the roots if she didn't act soon. I heard him groan underneath my hand trying to crane his neck to keep me from pulling it out.

The Mudblood wavered, her loyalty was commendable.

"There is a battle going on around us Mudblood." I said gauging the distance between the Mudblood and Emma. I could stun her, grab Emma and then kill the Mudblood and Longbottom. I saw her eyes flash as I called her Mudblood, ooo she was a feisty one.

"I will not ask again, either release her or I will kill you and the boy." I said before throwing up a shield to block a wayward Impediment curse that had been thrown somewhere to the left of me. I blocked Longbottom as well, wouldn't want him to get hurt during a negotiation.

"You'll kill your Deatheater as well." The girl said.

"I have others." I said, though in my heart I suppressed a shudder.

"Don't Hermione." Longbottom managed to croak out.

"Shut up." I said jabbing him in the back of the head.

"I have to Neville." The Mudblood said glaring at me.

"Smart girl." I hissed waiting for her to give Emma up.

The Mudblood stood back from Emma and allowed her to crawl to me; I did not look down at her. I shoved Longbottom away from me as hard as I could. I enjoyed watching him fall to the ground.

It was over in a matter of seconds, the moment Longbottom reached the Mudblood I raised my wand, 'Avada Kedavra' I screamed, their faces were pale as the green light rushed towards them. I laughed to see it until the Mudblood sent one of her own, I shoved Emma out of the way but it was too late, the jet of light hit her legs. She stared at me in horror as I screamed and threw my body over hers.

Everything had ended in that moment, when Emma's body fell to the ground. I saw everything in slow motion. Harry Potter and my Master locked in combat until the moment Emma fell. My Master doubled over, when the jet of light tore her soul from her body. I was lying on top of her trying to absorb the curse into my own body.

My Master let out a scream as another one of the Potter brats spells hit him. I don't know at the time why I released the spell when I did. I felt Emma's warm body beneath me and every memory I had of her flashed through my mind.

The night my Master told me that she had to be protected at all costs, the night that I found out that her mother had been killed by Voldemort himself and how he had planned to cheat death by concealing part of his soul in her.

I felt the spell leave my wand; I felt the power of it drain almost every part of my body. I watched it strike him as I sank my head onto Emma's chest.

Five years later

Bellatrix stared at the words she had just written, the words shone red and shiny like blood. The quill in her hand was sharp, every word she wrote she wrote in blood. Her hand brushed over the parchment for a moment before she grabbed it up and ripped it to pieces and threw the quill down.

She sat staring at the pieces of destroyed parchment before she opened up the desk drawer and took about a new sheet, picked up her quill and began again, the words cut into her skin…

_I wasn't into children; I felt honestly that it was never in me to have them. When he told me my assignment was to train this little witch I felt surly that he had chosen the wrong person for the job. I approached the walk with a frown; the wards around the house were set in place by my master himself to insure her safety. A house elf opened the door; I cast my cloak aside as the elf led me into the parlor. On the floor, surrounded by little wooden animals, my tiny charge sat._


End file.
